If you made it through the lean hobby years of the Topps monopoly, man, were you rewarded in 1981! The downside was that most hockey cards from 1990-91 were produced in such vast amounts that it is considered the start of the Junk Wax Era for hockey cards. The set proved to be popular, so Topps continued it in 1982. Like, say, some 1974 Topps Deckle Edge cards. The odds are against you on all those fronts considering theres just one card in the pack, but it sure is fun to wonder, isnt it? After an underwhelming debut in 1981 and a maybe even more underwhelming sophomore effort in 1982, Fleer needed to do something big in 1983 if they wanted to keep up with Donruss (ha!) It may be time to head back to school, but that doesnt mean you cant have fun with it. Back in 1986, though, clouds had much more limited applicability . SAVE $10 OFF your 1st purchase when you sign up to receive our weekly sales special email! But this lot ratchets up the intensity of this argument a couple of notches. Do you remember the first old rookie card to explode in popularity based on what was happening on the field? The card's popularity surged following President Bush's death in 2018, with many collectors seeking to add it to their collections to honor his legacy. 10 Greatest Hockey Rookie Cards In the summer of 1984, Don Mattingly came out of nowhere to win the American League batting title, snatching it away from New York Yankees teammate Dave Winfield. The most valuable baseball cards in that series include the great Nolan Ryan and cool coin inserts that included Brooks Robinson, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays. If you grew up in the 1970s or 1980s (and probably the 1990s) as a baseball card collector, you know the feeling well. Too one-dimensional and completely over the hill. The main cards in the set While his SP card is considered Jeters top rookie, Im still a bigger fan of the look (and price) of this version. 1993 Finest Refractor Ken Griffey Jr. #110, 4. If youre a card collector, you are also most likely a fantasy player. Cards from the 60s and 70s were starting to appreciate in value as card collectors began to appreciate in age and look back fondly on their own childhoods. We use cookies to improve your experience. I believe I bought about $10 worth.maybe 300 cards. Can you imagine if his rookie season came on a staff already stacked with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz? There are many reasons why this card is considered iconic, but inexpensive. And this lot offers up a bunch of that all in one convenient package. Thanks to the Internet and thanks especially to shopping websites like eBay and Amazon, we can find most of the cards we dreamed about as kids just about any time we want. If youre doing the math, that leaves about 75 other packs, and they all fall sorta in the same general vicinity of cardboard space-time as those Ive already mentioned. Even I, as jaded and homerish as I am, can admit the 1985 Donruss Pete Rose Expos card doesnt look all that bad from an aesthetic point of view. But card overproduction and their own PED transgressions have hamstrung the values of their rookie cards. Id get a vending case, pull all the Mark McGwire rookies or Vince Coleman rookies or Bill Doran rookies or first Padres Steve Garvey cards, and then sell the excess for beaucoup bucks. In the in-between are goodies like six 1985 Topps baseball wax packs, three 1982 Donruss wax packs, two 1981 Topps baseball cello packs, and three 1989 Upper Deck baseball packs. And Im not including Topps Tiffany, Topps Desert Shield or pre-1990 Leaf cards (essentially the Canadian version of Donruss at that time) or any other versions of base sets. 10. Rookie Card #1, 3. Sit back and enjoy the ride, and be sure to check back regularly to see what new goodies weve discovered. This eBay lot of three 1983 Fleer rack packs gives you all of that awesomeness right in your face, and it doesnt even make you guess too much about what youll get. A T206 Honus Wagner card sold earlier this month for $7.25 million, a then-record that didnt last long. Let me tell you you would if you were 12 years old in 1984 and had the chance to add another set to your burgeoning collection via several thousand calories worth of Cookie Crisp. (Not together, though trust me). Let me know what cards you think should be on the list! Check out the full eBay listing here (affiliate link). Here is a list of five of the most expensive baseball card boxes to date. Now THIS box is almost certain to contain either the Darryl Strawberry rookie or the Don Mattingly rookie, or both (though you can never be sure thanks to funky 1980s card collation). 1987 Topps Tiffany Barry Bonds rookie card #320, 9. The card's popularity has also produced many counterfeit versions, so collectors must be careful when buying and verifying the card's authenticity before purchasing. OK, so this is not really *wax* in the strict sense, but wax is really a state of mind right? So, when the Seattle Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. with the first pick of the 1987draft, the results were predictable , The first-ever Upper Deck baseball card (Non-Salesman Sample Division) . Its a 25-card food set distributed only at a grand total of 11 McDonalds restaurants in rural Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho for less than a month in the Spring of 1990. Heck, you might get really lucky and pull a Craig Worthington noggin. And this eBay lot? The most significant cards only to appear in Series 2 would be the following: #304 Phil Jackson. For arguments sake, were going to use pricing based on PSAs Price Guide. Maybe inspiring the imagination with their funky shapes. The Cloud is all the rage these days, and anybody whos anybody has at least one something running there, or aspires to. Check out this video for details! If you continue to use this site, we'll assume you're OK with that. As this column continues to evolve, were taking suggestions from readers and commenters on how to make it more helpful, entertaining and informative! Its unclear if SP means short print, or not, but thats a decent assumption. Jose Cruz was actually six feet tall but felt Patek-ish because he crouched like a tiger. The problem was that it was the early 1990s, right in the middle of what became known among baseball card collectors as the junk wax era. Speedsters can help fantasy players a lot, but its all about power and WAR in collecting. Not only is this Draft Pick card an all-time classic it even turned into a pretty awesome Vladimir Guerrero Jr. RC in 2019 Topps Archives. The Top Iconic and Valuable Sports Cards from the Junk Wax Era 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter X Hobby Box Unlike retail boxes, hobby boxes are sold directly to dealers and distributors, and collectors must acquire these outside of traditional retail Catchers are often forgotten in both hobbies. 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn rookie card #482, 12. As Jeter's career took off, so did the value of his rookie card. The Junk Wax Era roughly covers the period of 1986 to 1993, which is when card companies were overproducing cards, and leagues were over-licensing to anyone who wanted in on the gold rush. As a kid collector from the 1980s, this type of post does strike a chord with me! Im closing in on 500 YouTube subscribers, so I thought Id celebrate that with a giveaway of one of my favorite members of the 500-HR club. Its one of the most valuable baseball cards of this era, and what makes it so special is that the 1993 SP Upper Deck release was one of the early super premium card sets and featured rare die-cut Platinum Power inserts. The 1990 Topps Tiffany Frank Thomas rookie card was printed in much smaller numbers than the regular Topps card, making it a rare and valuable item. But there is a second tier of cards that helped drive the hobby to new heights, even if in a more supporting role. 2023 Giant Sports Cards By entering your email address you agree to receive email versions of the Baseball Card Market Report. But back in 1971, hoarding away sealed boxes of cards wasnt necessarily a commonly practiced financial endeavor. Baseball cards have been around for more than a century, and the hobby has seen a spike in collecting in the last few years. 15 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 80's and 90's Gems So dont worry about having lost out to some jerk from 35 years ago. Among collectors, its fairly common knowledge that there are certain individual baseball cards that are worth a fortune, such as the iconic 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, the legendary 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth, or the glorious 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. Ripken's card was part of the 1982 Topps Traded set released later in the year after the regular 1982 set had already been issued. As the decades have passed, the value of our baseball cards have ebbed and flowed, but something else has happened something amazing. That card was already popular among collectors when Pete headed back to the Cincinnati Reds in August 1984 as player-manager, but it was then we all realized hed be taking aim at Ty Cobbs all-time hits record on the Riverfront. The design was just so-so, for one thing. Click image for eBay listing (affiliate link). PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,930 on March 2023. As much as I cant stand Donruss cards from the 80s, the 86 set is pretty sweet. There are 24 packs per box and 12 cards per pack, making the odds of hitting a Jeter pretty good for any brave baseball card collector willing to shell out up to $15,000 to rip open a box. You can relive the thrill of discovering those gorgeous cards all those many springs ago with this pristine cello pack featuring Hall of Famer on the front and Pedro Guerrero always in the discussion about best players in the game back in those days on the back. His Fleer rookie card was controversial because it had a Marlboro ad in the background at the stadium, so later prints blacked out the billboard. And, can you believe the opening bid is only $10 a box. Or maybe it was the folks at Mrs. Butterworths. Ranking the 13 best sets of the Junk Wax Era of baseball They were golden days full of anticipation and hope, joy and (yes) disappointment when you pulled Tom Brookens instead of Alan Trammell. 30 Standout Baseball Cards from the Junk Wax Era ), 3. While hitters are generally more valuable than pitchers in fantasy play, pitchers are even less desirable in collecting. If youre reading this, chances are pretty good you spent at least part of your childhood as I did ripping open (or carefully unflapping) wax packs of baseball cards. Especially especially when the PSA Population Report shows ups that fewer than 50 of any particular card from said test issue has ever been submitted for grading? Kevin Mitchell makes one appearance, as do Nolan Ryan, John Kruk, and Jose Canseco. In his run-up to the record, all of Roses cards jumped up in demand and value, and he was arguably the hottest of all non-rookie players all across the land. Cards You excitedly tear open the wrapping paper and unfurl your treasure, a 1978 Topps Baseball Holiday Rack Pack. Here are some of the most valuable baseball cards from the 80s and 90s: The Bowman Tiffany Collection was a limited edition set, with only 6,000 copies of the Griffey Jr. card printed. The 1984 Topps Don Mattingly rookie card fits that bill perfectly it wasnt the main attraction when Donnie Baseball was making his name during that fabled summer of 1984, but it became a hobby favorite in a flash and has maintained that status for nearly 35 years. My memory of the 1984 Donruss cardsKmart had rack packs thrown in a bin. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $19,100 on October 2022. (Not sure why I didnt make the set because I once tied for the Major League lead among all fans for fewest games attended in person.). Still, one sealed Topps Desert Shield wax box recently sold for $7800, making these some of the most valuable baseball cards of the junk wax era. Oh not before they also issued a combo career tribute card for Carl Yastrzemski and Johnny Bench (and one for Gaylord Perry and Rollie Fingers). You could see three players on the front and three players stats on the back. You ever had a batch of dry, hard pancakes and thought to yourself, Self, these pancakes taste like cardboard!? The math is still burned into my brain, too 36 packs per box at 40 cents a pack is $14.40 per box. And then, theres Wayne Gross, who hit a lot of home runs for the post-Dynasty Oakland As and always looked very 70s-y. And, of course, providing a nice, pillowy picture frame for the 1986 Topps Minis League Leaders set. It is one of the most important baseball cards ever produced. Most Expensive Dark and dingy photos, half-hearted designs, lousy cardstock, errors all over the place things were pretty messy in 1981 and 1982. That has to be good right? The 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card is one of the most iconic, most popular, and yes, most valuable junk wax cards of all time. Only the gum stick knows for sure. The one-of-one 2009 Trout Superfractor has already been pulled, and it infamously sold for $3.9 million in 2020, making it the most expensive baseball card of the modern era. In my new role of sommelier of junk wax, I would say the 1990 Fleer football set combined forceful star density and design with delicate hints of chase cards before finishing with a lovely sense of nostalgia. JUNK WAX CARDS - Junk Wax Cards HOMEPAGE Jr. initially hesitated to sign a contract with Upper Deck because he had already signed an exclusive deal with another card company, Score. Web1990 score football series 2 most valuable cards. With a passion for Animation, Brand/Graphic Design, and Illustration, Yanni offers a unique outlook on alternative investments. Blow it up to the size of a skyscraper and shine a light on it for all the world to see? Fleer cleaned things up even more and put out a really nice, solid set. Because that year, if you bought specially marked containers of Mrs. Butterworths syrup, you also got three 1980 Topps baseball cards PLUS ALL TIME RECORDS all packed in a handy cellophane package. There were other versions of it, but this was the main one. Is This A New Junk Wax Era? - CardLines.com On the front, you have Dave Goltz, who was a pretty good pitcher for awhile and also played Ralph the Doorman on The Jeffersons. 1985 Topps Mark McGwire Team USA rookie card #401, 14. And what better way to have some fun than busting open a box of one of those funky Topps test issues risen from the nadir of the Junk Wax Era. And they usually turn up one or two or ten at a time, often in terrible shape and frequently separated from their brethren. Who? I mean, sure youd give up hard-earned money for your cardboard fix but would you chuck down box after box of gut-churning, cavity-inducing powdered, compressed, malted, generally blech wheat products? You know how, when you see a stack of 1982 Fleer baseball cards, they look all dingy and old? Baseball hobby boxes have some of the most valuable cards and are far more desirable because there is generally a greater chance of hitting parallels, numbered cards, memorabilia cards, and autographed cards than in a blaster box or retail pack. For just 15 cents a pop, you could buy paper packets of these babies all day long. This eBay lot brings you two of those three-card packs, one with Dave LaRoche on top, one with Scott McGregor on top. Its probably seen a hard life, or its just aged, like I have. See, a single vending case contained 24 vending boxes, each with 500 brand new, perfect cards (probably not perfect, but thats how it seemed). 1994 Alex Rodriguez SP Foil Rookie Card #15. And it would have yielded 15.15 repeating copies of every card in whichever set was involved. The only player on here twice Im doubling down on some rookie Jeter. While there are other cards from the Junk Wax Era that still have some tangible worth, the above list is populated with rookie cards of current and future Hall of Famers, as well as those who, unfortunately, will be forever linked to baseball's ugly Steroid Era. I remember those rack packs, and having my mom buy a couple for me when we were on vacation that summer. One unopened 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter X hobby box was recently listed on the secondary market for $14,000, making these some of the most expensive baseball cards ever. Interestingly enough, there are not many notable rookie cards in the 4th series (or high number series). The card is nothing but a comic. Youre not going to find any break-the-bank rookie cards or breathtaking beauty in this wax pack. The late 1980s and early 1990s were fun but times in the hobby. 3 Unhappy Hobby Things Some Collectors Do, Ranking the Top 5 NBA Rookies From Each of the Past 5 Years, 8 Baseball Rookie Cards Were Hoping To See in Topps Series 2. Why, every superstar is encased in his own little bit of cloud on premium white cardstock with a Super Glossy finish. And, if you dont like the cards, at least the listing gives you a new euphemism for well something. Or recessless schooldays? Same same! FREE UPS SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS $175+. I mean, right there on the front panels are sparkling cards of Lee Lacy, Gary Lavelle, and Randy Moffitt. ), Danny Cox, and Gary Pettis. And, like with just about everything else surrounding the hobby, Topps was the king of 1980s oddball issues. Or a mid-career card of a Hall of Famer? 1984 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett RC #93. When you went to the store with your mom and tried to score some baseball cards but ended up with these instead, it was muy disappointing. Its the most ever paid for any sports item, card or memorabilia, according to ESPN. With just one card per pack but 36 packs in a box, you *should* stand a good chance of getting one of everything with this lot. Cool thanks for reading and letting me know! Here in 2019, of course, Bert Blyleven is a Hall of Famer and these cards are 41 years old. In the third panel is Buddy Schultz. The 1984 Fleer set has basically the same lineup as the Topps set from that year, except with fewer cards overall (less special subsets, mostly). Thats because theyre part of the Pitch, Hit, & Run series that features a Burger King logo on card fronts. Between this card and the F-Face Billy Ripken (see below! 1989 Fleer Randy Johnson RC Marlboro Background #381. Because, even though Fleer managed to finally break the Topps monopoly and pulled Donruss into the market with them, the onslaught of new cards did little to excite the senses or capture the poetry of the game. A baseball card fetched the most expensive price ever for a sports memorabilia item on Sunday. In one 1975 Topps cello pack, graded PSA 9, you get both Hernandez and Schmidt.

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